Read Claire’s Story

Claire* (23) struggled with the transition from teenager to adulthood, but thanks to the help and support of the team at the Mater Young Adult Health Centre, she has found the confidence to take on vocational training and she is looking to move out of home. Claire’s mother Patricia* says she is amazed at the progress her daughter has made in a short space of time.

Claire was born with a chronic lifelong illness, and has also been impacted by bouts of depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Due to her emotional and medical health conditions, she missed out on a great deal of school over the years and was unable to form lasting friendships or develop the skills she needed for life outside of hospital.

Since attending the Mater Young Adult Health Centre, Claire said, “I can access psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists plus my doctors, nurses, and care team all in the one location. This has made a profound impact on my life, as I never would have been able to cope with accessing such support services on my own.”

Claire has found a safe and non-judgemental space in the Mater Young Adult Health Centre, with access to understanding mental health professionals who were very easy to talk to.

Facts

• Young people are more likely than any other group to start having mental health difficulties and suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 16-25.
• Depression and anxiety are by far the most common issues we see young people struggling with and this often impacts on their general health, education, capacity to work and relationships.
• It is widely recognised that 75 per cent of all mental illness will present before the age of 25 and the median age for substance use disorders is 20 years old.
• Suicide remains the leading cause of death for people aged 15-24 and young people with chronic health conditions report higher rates of illness related distress and have significant rates of mental health disorders, particularly depression and anxiety.
• Mater’s approach is to engage with young people in a youth friendly environment, focus on strengths and building skills to manage personal issues. Mater uses evidence-based interventions as well as group programs where young people can connect with people their own age, share experiences and learn from each other.

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*this is a real patient story, but names have been changed for privacy.